State Education Board
Allocates $5.4 Million for Preschool
by Rose Ann Pearce, The
Northwest Arkansas Morning News, September 13, 2004
Fayetteville - The Arkansas State Board of Education allocated $5.4
million Sunday to pay for preschool programs for 1,374 youngsters around
the state this year.
State Education Director Ken James said the recommended funding levels
reflect all of the proposals submitted for Arkansas Better Chance for
School Success funding, noting that $10,381 is not obligated.
The state education board met at the Radisson Hotel in Fayetteville in
conjunction with the annual meeting today of the Joint Boards of Education
for the departments of education, workforce education and higher
education.
The joint boards are required by law to meet annually.
The Springdale and Eureka Springs school districts are the only ones in
Northwest Arkansas to be funded. Springdale will receive $346,000 to be
divided between John Tyson and Jones elementary schools where each school
will serve 40 preschoolers.
Eureka Springs will receive $86,500 for a 20-pupil preschool.
James said funds are being held in a pending status for six school
districts in the process of submitting applications. A total of 48 schools
are in the state funding mix, nine in areas identified as priorities.
Earlier this year, the Arkansas General Assembly passed an education
reform law designating priority status for schools where more than 75
percent of the pupils scored below proficiency, or grade level, on
Benchmark tests or schools that are listed as in academic distress.
No schools receiving the funding are in academic distress, James said.
The state money reflects about 60 percent of the cost. Local school
districts are to pay the remaining 40 percent, according to Act 49.
During the 45-minute meeting, the state board also approved waivers to 22
school districts, including Gravette, to allow 37 teachers to teach this
school year outside their licensed areas.
Gravette School District sought a waiver to allow its gifted and talented
teacher to handle those classes without the necessary endorsement.
Charity Smith, an assistant director over accountability, said the waivers
show teacher shortage areas in special education, math and science. Those
districts requesting waivers were not likely to find the appropriately
licensed teachers this school year, she added.
Teachers have three years to complete the alternative licensing program to
become licensed in the area in which they are teaching, Smith said.
Today's meeting also coincides with a daylong conference on linking common
and higher education in relation to the federal No Child Left Behind law
at the University of Arkansas Continuing Education Center.
State Education Director Ken James said Sunday's board meeting was the
first in recent memory to be held in Northwest Arkansas.
The state education board years ago traveled the state, holding meetings
in various locations but in more recent years has held its meeting in
Little Rock, James said.
